Linebacker Kiko Alonso is retiring from the NFL at age 31, per WWLTV. Alonso had just signed with the New Orleans Saints this week -- putting pen to paper on a deal Friday. After one training camp practice, however, he decided to hang up the cleats for good.
Alonso took a year off from football in 2021, and his last NFL game played actually came with the Saints back in 2019. Originally drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft out of Oregon, Alonso entered the league with a bang. He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team after racking up 159 combined tackles, 11 tackles for loss, two sacks and four interceptions.
Alonso suffered an ACL tear before the start of his second season, and missed the entire 2014 campaign. He was then traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for LeSean McCoy prior to the 2015 season. After one season in Philly, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins. Alonso recorded at least 115 combined tackles in each of his three seasons with Miami, but was then traded to the Saints before the 2019 season. Just over a year later, Alonso was traded to the San Francisco 49ers -- making it the fourth time he had been traded, which is an NFL record he shares with running back Eric Dickerson.
In 86 career regular-season games played, Alonso recorded 588 combined tackles, three sacks and 10 interceptions. With this development, it's likely the Saints will target another veteran linebacker in free agency.
